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Abstract:

A multifunctional linked fitness equipment has an elongated bottom, a
seat stand, a front support frame seat pivotally mounted on a front end
of the elongated bottom, a rear support frame seat pivotally mounted on a
rear end of the seat stand, a link pivotally mounted between the front
support frame seat and the rear support frame seat, a front support frame
pivotally mounted on the elongated bottom and the front support frame
seat, a rear support frame pivotally mounted on the elongated bottom and
the rear support frame seat, and at least one resilient member mounted
between the rear support frame seat and the elongated bottom. By
combining or detaching the front support frame, the rear support frame or
the seat stand with or from positioning pins, the fitness equipment can
be utilized to selectively exercise the abdominal muscles and the legs
based on the users' demand.

Claims:

1. A multifunctional linked fitness equipment comprising: a base having:
an elongated bottom adapted to rest on a floor and having a front end and
a rear end; a seat stand mounted on the elongated bottom and having: a
front; a rear; a seat locking hole formed through the seat stand; two
back alignment plates mounted on the rear of the seat stand; and two back
positioning holes respectively formed through the back alignment plates;
a front support frame seat pivotally mounted on the front of the seat
stand and having two pivot wings, a bottom end and a positioning hole
formed through the front support frame seat, wherein one end of each
pivot wing is pivotally mounted on the front end of the elongated bottom;
and a rear support frame seat pivotally mounted on the rear of the seat
stand, and having a positioning hole formed through the rear support
frame seat and a bottom end; a link having: a front end pivotally mounted
between the free ends of the two pivot wings; and a rear end pivotally
mounted on the rear of the seat stand; at least one resilient member,
wherein one end of each one of the at least one resilient member is
securely connected with the rear end of the elongated bottom, and the
other end is pivotally mounted on the rear end of the link; a seat
mounted on the seat stand and having: a seat positioning hole formed in a
side of the seat facing the seat stand and corresponding to the seat
locking hole on the seat stand; and a seat positioning pin detachably
mounted through the seat positioning hole and the seat locking hole; a
front support frame pivotally mounted on the front support frame seat and
having: a post positioning hole formed through the front support frame
and corresponding to the positioning hole of the front support frame
seat; and a front positioning pin detachably mounted through the
positioning hole of the front support frame and the positioning hole of
the front support frame seat; and a rear support frame pivotally mounted
on the rear support frame seat of the seat stand and having: a bottom; an
alignment sector formed on the bottom of the rear support frame and
having multiple alignment holes formed through the alignment sector and
spaced apart from each other; a positioning hole formed through the rear
support frame and corresponding to the positioning hole of the rear
support frame seat; and a rear positioning pin detachably mounted through
the positioning hole of the rear support frame, the positioning hole of
the rear support frame seat, and one of the alignment holes of the
alignment sector.

2. The multifunctional linked fitness equipment as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the seat further has: a rotation shaft formed on and protrudes
downwardly from the bottom of the seat; and a positioning plate mounted
on a bottom of the seat, protruding beyond the seat, and having a seat
positioning hole formed through a portion of the positioning plate,
separated from the rotation shaft, and corresponding to the seat locking
hole on the seat stand; and the seat stand further has a rotary joint
formed in the seat stand; wherein the rotation shaft is pivotally mounted
through the rotary joint.

3. The multifunctional linked fitness equipment as claimed in claim 2
further comprising two handles, wherein one end of each handle is
securely mounted on one side of the seat stand.

4. The multifunctional linked fitness equipment as claimed in claim 3,
wherein the rear support frame further has: a rear support post; and a
headrest, a backrest and a waistrest sequentially mounted on the rear
support post in a downward direction.

5. The multifunctional linked fitness equipment as claimed in claim 4,
wherein the front support frame further has: a front support post,
wherein a bottom end of the front support post is pivotally mounted in
the front support frame seat; and a footrest mounted on a top end of the
front support post.

Description:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a linked fitness equipment, and
more particularly to a multi-functional linked fitness equipment capable
of selectively exercising abdominal muscles.

[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0004] Sit-up is a strength training exercise that targets at building
abdominal muscles, and can be performed in a small space no matter where
you are by lying directly on the floor or using a mat. However, many
researches point out that despite a standard site-up movement, an arched
back caused by the stretched gluteal muscles and the abdominal muscles
may injure spine and lumbar intervertebral discs.

[0005] Although many fitness equipments for exercising abdominal muscles
are available in the market to avoid or reduce the exercise injury when
the equipment is used to exercise abdominal muscles, most of such fitness
equipment is unifunctional and fails to exercise other parts of muscles.
Therefore, a variety of fitness equipment is needed to train the muscles
of other parts of the body, making fitness not only costly but also space
demanding in terms of accommodating various fitness equipments.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] An objective of the present invention is to provide a
multifunctional linked fitness equipment capable of selectively
exercising abdominal muscles without causing exercise injury.

[0007] To achieve the foregoing objective, the multifunctional linked
fitness equipment has a base, a link, at least one resilient member, a
seat, a front support frame and a rear support frame.

[0008] The base has an elongated bottom, a seat stand, a front support
frame seat and a rear support frame seat.

[0009] The elongated bottom is adapted to rest on a floor and has a front
end and a rear end. The seat stand is mounted on the elongated bottom,
and has a front, a rear, a seat locking hole, two back alignment plates
and two back positioning holes. The seat locking hole is formed through
the seat stand. The back alignment plates are mounted on the rear of the
seat stand. The back positioning holes are respectively formed through
the back alignment plates. The front support frame seat is pivotally
mounted on the front of the seat stand and has two pivot wings, a bottom
end and a positioning hole formed through the front support frame. One
end of each pivot wing is pivotally mounted on the front end of the
elongated bottom. The rear support frame seat is pivotally mounted on the
rear of the seat stand, and has a positioning hole formed through the
rear support frame seat and a bottom end.

[0010] The link has a front end pivotally mounted between the free ends of
the two pivot wings and a rear end pivotally mounted on the rear of the
seat stand.

[0011] One end of each one of the at least one resilient member is
securely connected with the rear end of the elongated bottom, and the
other end is pivotally mounted on the rear end of the link.

[0012] The seat is mounted on the seat stand and has a seat positioning
hole and a seat positioning pin. The seat positioning hole is formed in a
side of the seat facing the seat stand and corresponding to the seat
locking hole on the seat stand. The seat positioning pin is detachably
mounted through the seat positioning hole and the seat locking hole.

[0013] The front support frame is pivotally mounted on the front support
frame seat and has a post positioning hole and a front positioning pin.
The post positioning hole is formed through the front support frame and
corresponds to the positioning holes of the front support frame seat. The
front positioning pin is detachably mounted through the positioning hole
of the front support frame and the positioning hole of the front support
frame seat.

[0014] The rear support frame is pivotally mounted on the rear support
seat of the seat stand, and has a bottom, an alignment sector, a
positioning hole and a rear positioning pin. The alignment sector is
formed on the bottom of the rear support frame and has multiple alignment
holes formed through the alignment sector and spaced apart from each
other. The positioning hole is formed through the rear support frame and
corresponds to the positioning hole of the rear support frame seat. The
rear positioning pin is detachably mounted through the positioning hole
of the rear support frame, the positioning hole of the rear support frame
seat, and one of the alignment holes of the alignment sector.

[0015] The front positioning pin and the rear positioning pin are employed
to combine or detach the front support frame or the rear support frame so
that the a combination of the front support frame and the rear support
frame can be driven to exercise the upper abdominal muscles or the lower
abdominal muscles or both. The seat positioning pin is used to fasten the
seat and the seat stand so that the exercise injury does not occur when a
user exercises the abdomen and sways the seat.

[0016] Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the invention
will become more apparent from the following detailed description when
taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a multi-functional linked fitness
equipment in accordance with the present invention;

[0018]FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the multi-functional
linked fitness equipment in FIG. 1;

[0019]FIG. 3 is a side view of the multi-functional linked fitness
equipment in FIG. 1;

[0020]FIG. 4 is a first operational side view of the multi-functional
linked fitness equipment in FIG. 1;

[0021] FIG. 5 is a second operational side view of the multi-functional
linked fitness equipment in FIG. 1;

[0022] FIG. 6 is a third operational side view of the multi-functional
linked fitness equipment in FIG. 1;

[0023]FIG. 7 is another side view of the multi-functional linked fitness
equipment in FIG. 1; and

[0024]FIG. 8 is an operational top view of the multi-functional linked
fitness equipment in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0025] With reference to FIGS. 1 to 3, a multi-functional linked fitness
equipment in accordance with the present invention has a base 10, a link
20, at least one resilient member 30, a seat 40, a front support frame 50
and a rear support frame 60.

[0026] The base 10 has an elongated bottom, a seat stand 11, a front pivot
bracket 101, a front support frame seat 12, a rear pivot bracket 115, a
rear support frame seat 13 and two handles 14.

[0027] The elongated bottom is rested on a floor. The seat stand 11 is
mounted on the elongated bottom, is T-shaped, and has a horizontal
segment, a rotary joint 111, a seat locking hole 112, two back alignment
plates 113 and two back positioning holes 114. The horizontal segment has
a rectangular section. The rotary joint 111 is mounted in a front end of
the horizontal segment of the seat stand 11 and has a bearing mounted in
the rotary joint 111. The seat locking hole 112 is vertically formed
through the top and the bottom near a rear end of the horizontal segment
of the seat stand 11. The back alignment plates 113 are mounted on the
top at the rear end of the horizontal segment of the seat stand 11 and
has a gap defined between the back alignment plates 113. The two back
positioning holes 114 are respectively formed through the two back
alignment plates 113 and correspond to and align with each other.

[0028] The front pivot bracket 101 is mounted on and protrudes upwardly
from a top of a front end of the elongated bottom and is U-shaped.

[0029] The front support frame seat 12 has a tubular post holder 123, two
footrest positioning holes 121 and two pivot wings 122. The post holder
123 is curved in cross section and has an opening longitudinally formed
through a front portion of a periphery of the arced tube 123. The two
footrest positioning holes 121 are oppositely formed through a top end of
the periphery of the post holder 123. One end of each pivot wing 122 is
pivotally mounted on a bottom end of the periphery of the post holder 123
and on the front pivot bracket 101. The two pivot wings 122 are parallel
with each other and have a gap defined between the pivot wings 122.

[0030] The rear pivot bracket 115 has two plates mounted on and protruding
rearwardly from two sides of the rear end of the horizontal segment of
the seat stand 11.

[0031] The rear support frame seat 13 has two pivot elbows 131. Each pivot
elbow 131 has two segments and a rear frame positioning hole 132. The
segments are obliquely and integrally formed together. A junction of the
two segments of each pivot elbow 131 is pivotally mounted on an inner
side of one of the plates of the rear pivot bracket 115. The rear frame
positioning hole 132 is formed through the top of the pivot elbow 131.

[0032] One end of each handle 14 is securely mounted on one side of the
horizontal segment of the seat stand 11.

[0033] The link 20 has a front pivot portion 21 and a rear pivot portion
22. The front pivot portion 21 is formed on a front end of the link 20,
and is pivotally mounted between the free ends of the two pivot wings
122. The rear pivot portion 22 is pivotally mounted between bottom ends
of the two pivot elbows 131 of the rear support frame seat 13 by a pivot
pin 23.

[0034] Each one of the at least one resilient member 30 may be a spring.
One end of each one of the at least one resilient member 30 is securely
connected with a rear end of the elongated bottom of the base 10, and the
other end is pivotally connected to the link 20 and is mounted between
the pivot elbows 131 of the rear support frame seat 13 and around the
pivot pin 23. In the present embodiment, three resilient members 30 are
mounted between the base 10 and the link 20.

[0035] The seat 40 is mounted on the seat stand 11, and has a positioning
plate and a rotation shaft 41. The positioning plate is mounted on a
bottom of the seat 40 and protrudes beyond the seat 40. The rotation
shaft 41 is formed on and protrudes downwardly from the bottom of the
seat 40, and is mounted through the bearing of the rotary joint 111 so
that the seat 40 can be rotatable on the seat stand 11. The positioning
plate has a seat positioning hole 401 formed through a portion of the
positioning plate, separated from the rotation shaft 41 and corresponding
to the seat locking hole 112 on the seat stand 11. A seat positioning pin
42 is detachably mounted through the seat positioning hole 401 and the
seat locking hole 112 so that the seat 40 can be securely fastened on the
seat stand 11 without being rotatable.

[0036] The front support frame 50 has a front support post 51, a footrest
52, and a front positioning pin 53. A bottom of the front support post 51
is pivotally mounted between bottoms of the pivot wings 122. The front
support post 51 is telescopic and can be pivoted so that a bottom portion
of the front support post 51 is received within the post holder 123
through the opening. The front support post 51 has a front post
positioning hole 511 formed through the front support post 51 and
corresponding to the footrest positioning holes 121 of the front support
frame seat 12. The footrest 52 is mounted on a top of the front support
post 51 and has at least one front shock absorption pad 521 mounted on
one side of the footrest 52. The front positioning pin 53 is detachably
mounted through the front post positioning hole 511 and the footrest
positioning holes 121 to hold the front support frame 50 at position
relative to the front support frame seat 12.

[0037] The rear support frame 60 has a rear support post 61, a headrest
62, a backrest 63, a waistrest 64, a rear positioning pin 65 and an
alignment sector 66. The rear support post 61 is telescopic. A bottom of
the rear support post 61 is pivotally between the rear pivot brackets 115
and the pivot elbows 131. The rear support post 61 has a rear post
positioning holes 612 formed through the rear support post 61 and
corresponding to and aligning with the rear frame positioning holes 132
of the pivot elbows 131. The headrest 62, the backrest 63 and the
waistrest 64 are sequentially mounted on the rear support post 61 in a
downward direction. The rear positioning pin 65 is detachably mounted
through the rear post positioning hole 612 and the rear frame positioning
holes 132 of the pivot elbows 131 to hold the rear support post 61 at
position relative to the rear support seat 13. The rear support post 61
is pivotable with respect to the rear support seat 13 after the rear
positioning pin 65 is removed from the rear post positioning hole 612.
The rear support post 61 further has a rear shock absorption pad 611
mounted on a side of the rear support post 61 opposite to the backrest
63. The alignment sector 66 is formed on and protrudes forwardly from a
bottom portion of a periphery of the rear support post 61, is mounted
between the back alignment plates 113 of the seat stand 11 and has
multiple alignment holes 661 formed through the alignment sector 66 and
spaced apart from each other. When the rear support frame 60 is pivoted
relative to the rear pivot brackets 115, the alignment sector 66 is moved
within the two back alignment plates 113. The rear positioning pin 65 can
be mounted through the back positioning holes 114 of the back alignment
plates 113 and one of the alignment holes 661 of the alignment sector 66
so that the rear support frame 60 is mounted on the seat stand 11 at an
angle relative to the seat stand 11.

[0038] The multifunctional linked fitness equipment can be operated in
several ways as follows.

[0039] With reference to FIG. 4, the front positioning pin 53 is mounted
through the front post positioning hole 511 of the front support post 51
and the footrest positioning holes 121 of the front support frame seat
12, the rear positioning pin 65 is mounted through the rear post
positioning hole 612 of the rear support post 61 and the rear frame
positioning hole 132 of the rear support frame seat 13, and the seat
positioning pin 42 is mounted through the seat positioning hole 401 of
the seat 40 and the seat locking hole 112 of the seat stand 11. A user
can sit on the seat 40 with the legs resting on the footrest 52 of the
front support frame 50, the upper body leaning on the rear support frame
60 and both hands holding the handles 14. The front support frame 50 and
the rear support frame 60 are respectively pushed by the upper body and
the legs, and the front support frame 50 and the rear support frame 60
are oppositely pivoted until the front support frame 50 and the rear
support frame 60 align horizontally. Meanwhile, the front support frame
seat 12 and the rear support frame seat 13 pivotally connected to the
link 20 are also driven so that the at least one resilient member 30
connected to the front support frame seat 12 and the rear support frame
seat 13 is extended. When the user stop pressing the front support frame
50 and the rear support frame 60, the restoring elastic force of the at
least one resilient member 30 pulls the link 20 to pivot the rear support
frame 60 and the front support frame 50 upwardly so as to lift up the
upper body and the legs to their original positions. Such operation aims
to exercise the upper abdomen, the lower abdomen and the legs of a user.

[0040] With reference to FIG. 5, the front positioning pin 53 mounted
through the front post positioning hole 511 of the front support post 51
and the footrest positioning holes 121 of the front support frame seat 12
is removed and the front support frame 50 lies on the floor. A user can
sit on the seat 40 with the hands holding the handles 14, the legs
stepping on the floor and the upper body pressing down the rear support
frame 60 so that the rear support frame 60 can be pressed down to align
horizontally. When the rear support frame 60 is pressed down, the link 20
is driven to pivot the front support frame seat 12 and the rear support
frame seat 13 so that the at least one resilient member 30 is extended.
Such operation aims to exercise the upper abdomen of a user.

[0041] With reference to FIG. 6, the front positioning pin 53 is mounted
through the front support frame seat 12 and the front support post 51,
and the rear positioning pin 65 mounted through the rear support post 61
and the rear support frame seat 13 is removed and is mounted through the
back positioning holes 114 of the back alignment plates 113 and one of
the alignment holes 661 of the alignment sector 66 so that the rear
support frame 60 is not driven by the rear support frame seat 13. A user
can adjust an inclined angle of the rear support frame 60 based on
personal demand and sit on the seat 40 with the upper body lying on the
rear support frame 60, the hands holding the handles 14 and the legs
stepping on the footrest 52 of the front support frame 50. The front
support frame 50 is pressed down by the legs, and the front support frame
50 drives the front support frame seat 12, the rear support frame seat 13
and the link 20 and simultaneously pulls the at least one resilient
member 30. Such operation aims to exercise the lower abdomen and the legs
of a user.

[0042] With reference to FIG. 7, the seat positioning pin 42 is removed
from the seat positioning hole 401 of the seat 40 and the seat locking
hole 112 of the seat stand 11, the seat 40 can be rotatable relative to
the rotary joint 111 of the seat stand 11, and the front support frame 50
lies on the floor and the rear support frame 60 aligns horizontally. With
reference to FIG. 8, a user can sit on the seat 40 and rotate the seat 40
with respect to the seat stand 11 so as to twist the waist and swing the
hip. Such operation aims to exercise the side the abdominal muscle of a
user.

[0043] Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present
invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with
details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is
illustrative only. Changes may be made in detail, especially in matters
of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the
invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of
the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.